1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to measuring devices and more specifically to a portable digital readout measuring device, which may be mounted to and removed from industrial machinery without the use of tools.
2. Discussion of the Prior Art
Many types of industrial machinery such as metal cutting machinery require the display of the amount of travel a carriage has made relative to ways of the industrial machinery. Frequently in machine shop environments, the display devices on the industrial machinery do not work. There are many types of measuring devices known in the art, such as digital machine scales that are rigidly mounted to the industrial machinery to provide a readout of the distance traveled by a carriage. There are also hand tools, such as measuring calipers with a digital readout device. However, it appears that no digital measuring device exists, which may be mounted to and removed from industrial machinery without the use of the tools. U.S. Pat. No. 4,612,656 to Suzuki et al. discloses a digital indication type measuring apparatus. U.S. Pat. No. 4,972,603 to Meyer discloses a linear measuring device. U.S. Pat. No. 5,973,494 to Masreliez et al. discloses an electronic caliper using a self-contained low power inductive position transducer, which is herein incorporated by reference in its entirety.
Accordingly, there is a clearly felt need in the art for a portable digital readout measuring device, which may be mounted to and removed from industrial machinery, such as milling machines, horizontal machines, bullards, vertical turret lathes, horizontal lathes and the like without the use of tools.